Part 2Operation: Doctor Love

I spent ten minutes mentally preparing myself in my room before dawdling downstairs for dinner.

At the dining table, my mom was enthusiastically serving Ethan food. "Ethan, eat more. If only Lily were as sensible as you, I'd worry less."

Ethan smiled politely. "You're too kind, Auntie. Lily is great."

He looked completely at ease, as if the dominant and ambiguous man in my room just now was a hallucination.

This realization made my ears hot, and I buried my head even lower.

My mom, oblivious, continued to chatter: "Ethan, you're an orthopedist, right? Lily's been complaining about shoulder and neck pain from painting lately. She won't go to the hospital. You should talk to her!"

Ethan put down his chopsticks, his gaze seemingly inadvertently falling on me. His look was calm, yet it made me feel like I was sitting on pins and needles.

The corners of his lips curved slightly, his tone warm and concerned: "Is that so? If your shoulder hurts..."

He paused before continuing leisurely, "Just using a 'massage stick' for local massage might not be effective enough."

"Pfft—cough! Cough cough!" I choked on my rice, my whole face turning explosive red instantly.

My mom quickly patted my back. "Child, why eat so fast!"

She turned back to Ethan: "Exactly! I offered to buy her a neck massager, but she refused, saying she didn't need it."

The smile in Ethan's eyes deepened. He looked at me meaningfully. "Mm, Lily... does have her own 'methods' for relief. However, the tools might not be professional enough. Next time you're uncomfortable, just tell me directly."

Every word was normal, but combined, they were like bombs dropping in my ears! What was he hinting at? How much did he know?!

This meal was torture. Every second was suffering.

He chatted naturally with my parents, occasionally steering the topic to me, each time precisely stepping on my nerve of shame.

When he finally got up to leave, I almost collapsed in my chair, feeling like I had fought a tough battle.